"And the Lord shut him in"

Genesis 7

"And the Lord shut him in"

'Noah’s flood has numerous parallels in ancient Near Eastern literature.' There is the 'Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh .... the Babylonian story of Atrahasis' and 'Sumerian text known as the Eridu Genesis'  (Faithlife Study Bible, Jason C. Kuo). It is likely that some huge ancient deluge is remembered in all these accounts.

The biblical account warns of God's judgment of sin and of God's concern and ability to save. 2 Peter 2:5,9 ESV says, "[5] if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;...... [9] then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment."

The eight human beings who got saved "went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood" (Genesis 7:7 ESV). God had promised to save Noah and his family from the flood (Genesis 6:17-18), but they needed to actually go "into the ark" to experience this salvation. God has promised His people salvation in Christ (Romans 8:1), but to experience this great salvation, we need to be "in Christ" by believing into Christ (Ephesians 1:13).

People ponder how all those many animals were captured and brought into the ark, but the text of Genesis 7 indicates that God was at work to enable Noah to do what God had commanded him to do. The text says that animals "went into the ark with Noah (or literally 'went to Noah into the ark') as God had commanded Noah." (Genesis 7:9 ESV). It seems to imply that God caused them to go to Noah and into the ark. (In a similar way, the Lord will enable us to do the things He has commanded us to do. See Matthew 28:19-20; Philippians 2:12-13; Colossians 1:29).

Genesis 7:16 ESV says that the animals "went in as God had commanded him. And the LORD shut him in." What a beautiful picture of the Lord's care and concern to save as He personally shuts the door of the ark behind Noah, his family and the many animals.


It is noteworthy that two of God's names are used in this verse. It is as Elohim ("God ") that He "commanded", but it is as YHWH ("the LORD") that He "shut Him in". The NIV Study Bible notes that God 'closed the door behind Noah and his family ... in his role as redeeming Lord.' The name YHWH is connected the the Hebrew verb, hayah, which means to be. In Exodus 3:14-15 ESV we read of how 'God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel: 'I AM (hayah) has sent me to you.'" [15] God also said to Moses, "Say this to the people of Israel: 'The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.' This saving name of the LORD (YHWH) was given fuller meaning when God redeemed His people from slavery in Egypt (See Exodus 6:3,6). It was given its fullest meaning in Jesus who said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58 ESV).